diff --git a/assets/css/base.css b/assets/css/base.css
index 1b2d0bb..f13aa12 100644
--- a/assets/css/base.css
+++ b/assets/css/base.css
@@ -79,6 +79,13 @@
   --accent-purple:     #BF5FFF;
   --accent-purple-dim: rgba(191,95,255,0.10);
 
+  /* ── App semantic aliases (used in ticket.css, dashboard.css) ── */
+  --lt-danger:      var(--accent-red);
+  --lt-amber:       var(--accent-amber);
+  --lt-cyan:        var(--accent-cyan);
+  --lt-success:     var(--accent-green);
+  --lt-text-primary: var(--accent-green);
+
   /* Legacy aliases — keeps all existing component HTML working */
   --terminal-green:       var(--accent-green);
   --terminal-green-dim:   var(--accent-green-dim);
@@ -216,6 +223,8 @@ body {
   min-height: 100vh;
   overflow-x: hidden;
   position: relative;
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
 }
 
 a {
@@ -349,6 +358,7 @@ hr {
 
 .lt-main {
   padding-top: calc(var(--header-height) + var(--space-lg));
+  flex: 1;
 }
 
 .lt-layout {
@@ -369,6 +379,17 @@ hr {
 .lt-flex-col     { display: flex; flex-direction: column; }
 .lt-flex-wrap    { flex-wrap: wrap; }
 
+/* Flex gap modifiers (used with lt-flex) */
+.lt-flex-gap-xs  { gap: var(--space-xs); }
+.lt-flex-gap-sm  { gap: var(--space-sm); }
+.lt-flex-gap-md  { gap: var(--space-md); }
+.lt-flex-gap-lg  { gap: var(--space-lg); }
+
+/* Flex align modifiers */
+.lt-flex-align-start  { align-items: flex-start; }
+.lt-flex-align-center { align-items: center; }
+.lt-flex-align-end    { align-items: flex-end; }
+
 .lt-gap-sm { gap: var(--space-sm); }
 .lt-gap-md { gap: var(--space-md); }
 .lt-gap-lg { gap: var(--space-lg); }
@@ -2294,6 +2315,12 @@ select option:checked {
 .lt-text-red     { color: var(--accent-red);    text-shadow: var(--glow-red); }
 .lt-text-muted   { color: var(--text-muted); }
 .lt-text-dim     { color: var(--text-dim); }
+/* Semantic aliases */
+.lt-text-danger  { color: var(--accent-red);    text-shadow: var(--glow-red); }
+.lt-text-warning { color: var(--accent-amber);  text-shadow: var(--glow-amber); }
+.lt-text-success { color: var(--accent-green);  text-shadow: var(--glow-green); }
+.lt-text-info    { color: var(--accent-cyan);   text-shadow: var(--glow-cyan); }
+.lt-text-primary { color: var(--accent-green);  text-shadow: var(--glow-green); }
 
 .lt-text-xs  { font-size: 0.63rem; }
 .lt-text-sm  { font-size: 0.78rem; }
@@ -5477,7 +5504,7 @@ body.lt-is-offline .lt-main { margin-top: 2rem; transition: margin-top 0.25s eas
   align-items: center;
   flex-wrap: wrap;
   gap: var(--space-sm);
-  padding: var(--space-md) var(--space-lg);
+  padding: var(--space-sm) var(--space-lg);
   border-top: 1px solid var(--border-dim);
   margin-top: auto;
   background: var(--bg-secondary);
@@ -5485,6 +5512,49 @@ body.lt-is-offline .lt-main { margin-top: 2rem; transition: margin-top 0.25s eas
   font-size: 0.7rem;
   font-family: var(--font-mono);
 }
+
+/* Keyboard hint bar */
+.lt-footer-hints {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  align-items: center;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+}
+.lt-footer-hint {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.25rem;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  font-size: 0.68rem;
+  letter-spacing: 0.03em;
+  text-decoration: none;
+  background: none;
+  border: none;
+  padding: 0;
+  font-family: inherit;
+  cursor: default;
+  transition: color 0.12s;
+}
+a.lt-footer-hint,
+button.lt-footer-hint {
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+a.lt-footer-hint:hover,
+button.lt-footer-hint:hover {
+  color: var(--accent-green);
+  text-shadow: var(--glow-green);
+}
+.lt-footer-key {
+  color: var(--accent-green);
+  opacity: 0.75;
+  font-weight: 700;
+}
+.lt-footer-sep {
+  opacity: 0.25;
+  user-select: none;
+}
+
 @media (max-width: 479px) {
   .lt-footer { flex-direction: column; align-items: flex-start; gap: 0.25rem; }
+  .lt-footer-hints { gap: 0.5rem; }
 }
diff --git a/views/DashboardView.php b/views/DashboardView.php
index b447941..98ca8fe 100644
--- a/views/DashboardView.php
+++ b/views/DashboardView.php
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ $pageTitle  = 'Dashboard';
 $activeNav  = 'dashboard';
 $pageStyles = ['/assets/css/dashboard.css?v=20260327'];
 $pageScripts = [
-    '/assets/js/ascii-banner.js?v=20260327',
     '/assets/js/markdown.js?v=20260327',
     '/assets/js/dashboard.js?v=20260327',
     '/assets/js/advanced-search.js?v=20260327',
diff --git a/views/admin/TemplatesView.php b/views/admin/TemplatesView.php
index 6f230b5..ef9e1b6 100644
--- a/views/admin/TemplatesView.php
+++ b/views/admin/TemplatesView.php
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ include __DIR__ . '/../../views/layout_header.php';
               <td data-label="Name"><strong><?= htmlspecialchars($tpl['template_name']) ?></strong></td>
               <td data-label="Category" class="lt-text-xs"><?= htmlspecialchars($tpl['category'] ?? 'Any') ?></td>
               <td data-label="Type" class="lt-text-xs"><?= htmlspecialchars($tpl['type'] ?? 'Any') ?></td>
-              <td data-label="Priority" class="lt-text-xs"><span class="lt-p<?= $tpl['default_priority'] ?? 4 ?>">P<?= $tpl['default_priority'] ?? 4 ?></span></td>
+              <?php $tp = (int)($tpl['default_priority'] ?? 4); $tChip = match($tp) { 1 => 'lt-chip-critical', 2 => 'lt-chip-warn', 3 => 'lt-chip-info', default => 'lt-chip-ok' }; ?>
+              <td data-label="Priority"><span class="lt-chip <?= $tChip ?>">P<?= $tp ?></span></td>
               <td data-label="Status">
                 <span class="lt-status <?= ($tpl['is_active'] ?? 1) ? 'lt-status-open' : 'lt-status-closed' ?>">
                   <?= ($tpl['is_active'] ?? 1) ? 'Active' : 'Inactive' ?>
diff --git a/views/layout_footer.php b/views/layout_footer.php
index ac1bf8e..790b191 100644
--- a/views/layout_footer.php
+++ b/views/layout_footer.php
@@ -18,6 +18,43 @@
 
   </main><!-- /#main-content / .lt-main -->
 
+  <!-- ================================================================
+       FOOTER — keyboard hint bar + version
+       ================================================================ -->
+  <?php
+  // Context-sensitive keyboard hints based on active nav
+  $_ltf_nav = $activeNav ?? 'dashboard';
+  $_ltf_isTicket = str_starts_with($pageTitle ?? '', 'Ticket #');
+  ?>
+  <footer class="lt-footer" role="contentinfo" aria-label="Keyboard shortcuts and app info">
+    <nav class="lt-footer-hints" aria-label="Keyboard shortcuts">
+      <?php if ($_ltf_isTicket): ?>
+        <a href="/" class="lt-footer-hint" title="Go to dashboard"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ ← ]</span> BACK</a>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-hint" title="Press 1–4 to change status"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ 1-4 ]</span> STATUS</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-hint" title="Press C to jump to comment box"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ C ]</span> COMMENT</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <button type="button" class="lt-footer-hint" data-action="open-settings" title="Open settings"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ * ]</span> CFG</button>
+      <?php elseif (str_starts_with($_ltf_nav, 'admin')): ?>
+        <a href="/" class="lt-footer-hint" title="Go to dashboard"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ ~ ]</span> HOME</a>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <button type="button" class="lt-footer-hint" data-action="open-settings" title="Open settings"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ * ]</span> CFG</button>
+      <?php else: ?>
+        <a href="/" class="lt-footer-hint" title="Go to dashboard (G then D)"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ ~ ]</span> HOME</a>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-hint" title="Press / or Ctrl+K to search"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ / ]</span> SEARCH</span>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <a href="/ticket/create" class="lt-footer-hint" title="Create new ticket (N)"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ + ]</span> NEW</a>
+        <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+        <button type="button" class="lt-footer-hint" data-action="open-settings" title="Open settings"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ * ]</span> CFG</button>
+      <?php endif ?>
+      <span class="lt-footer-sep">|</span>
+      <button type="button" class="lt-footer-hint" data-action="show-keyboard-help" title="Show keyboard shortcuts (?)"><span class="lt-footer-key">[ ? ]</span> HELP</button>
+    </nav>
+    <span aria-label="Application version">TINKER TICKETS &mdash; TDS v1.2</span>
+  </footer>
+
   <!-- base.js + utils.js + globals already loaded in <head> via layout_header.php -->
 
 <?php if (!empty($pageScripts)): ?>
@@ -34,11 +71,33 @@
   </script>
 <?php endif; ?>
 
-  <!-- LT INIT — runs boot animation once per session, then sets up UI handlers -->
+  <!-- LT INIT — boot animation + global UI init (base.js handles keys/nav automatically) -->
   <script nonce="<?= htmlspecialchars($nonce, ENT_QUOTES, 'UTF-8') ?>">
     if (window.lt) {
-      lt.init({ bootName: 'TINKER TICKETS', skipBoot: false });
+      lt.init({ bootName: 'TINKER TICKETS' });
     }
+
+    // Footer hint bar actions (keyboard help + settings — work on all pages)
+    document.addEventListener('click', function(e) {
+      var btn = e.target.closest('[data-action]');
+      if (!btn) return;
+      var action = btn.getAttribute('data-action');
+      if (action === 'show-keyboard-help') {
+        if (typeof showKeyboardHelp === 'function') {
+          showKeyboardHelp();
+        } else if (window.lt) {
+          var h = document.getElementById('lt-keys-help');
+          if (h) lt.modal.open('lt-keys-help');
+          else lt.toast.info('Keyboard shortcuts: ESC=close  Ctrl+K=search  ?=this help');
+        }
+      } else if (action === 'open-settings' || action === 'open-settings-modal') {
+        if (typeof openSettingsModal === 'function') {
+          openSettingsModal();
+        } else if (window.lt) {
+          lt.toast.info('Settings available on the Dashboard');
+        }
+      }
+    });
   </script>
 
 </body>